


Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

by FlightlessAngelWings



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drama, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 08:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3602655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightlessAngelWings/pseuds/FlightlessAngelWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin and company are a group of bikers traveling across the country on a mysterious quest. In one town, he meets Bilbo, a shy bookworm, and they bond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Unexpected Meeting

Bilbo was the quiet type. He mostly kept to himself and chose to spend his time in various bookstores across town. He had friends, sure, but he preferred the company of books to people. One of his favorite bookstores was a little corner store that specialized in old, unique books. He could spend hours in that little shop browsing and reading. But his quiet, peaceful life was forever changed when a new group came into town one day.

Nothing much exciting happened in the quiet little town called the Shire. Bilbo was just walking out of the bookstore with a handful of new books into the sun. He stopped for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the brightness when he heard a loud roaring noise. Coming up from the distance was a group of 13 motorcycles. People on the street froze in awe as they watched the newcomers ride down the street. Bilbo clutched his books as he watched the group ride through the street in front of him.

The group of bikers stopped at a red light in front of where Bilbo was standing. While stopped, they chattered in a rowdy matter amongst themselves. Everyone in the group was very muscular, bearded, and most had long, wavy hair. A few in the group were much older, a few were younger, and one was completely bald. But one in the group caught Bilbo’s attention. He seemed to be the leader of the group, as he sat in the front of the company. He had long, dark hair with small locks of silver and he wore a black leather jacket. 

The man must have sense Bilbo staring at him, because he turned to face him. Bilbo felt a chill up his spine as soon as their eyes met. Even from a distance, Bilbo could sense intensity in his eyes that he had never seen before in a person. He knew only a few seconds passed as stared at each other, but it felt like an eternity, like time slowed down and nothing else existed. The sound of the group’s bikes revving signaled that the light turned green, and the stranger broke their connection. Bilbo watched the group disappear into the distance.

“Well there’s an interesting group of people,” a passerby commented to Bilbo, “Let’s hope they don’t cause any trouble here.”

“Yeah…” Bilbo answered, more to himself than to the other person. He was lost in his own world thinking about the stranger and wondered if he would see him again.

A few days went by without any incident from the mysterious group. However, that did not stop people from talking. The rumor mill ran nonstop ever since they shook up the quiet town.

“I wonder what they want,” one woman said.

“I hope they don’t bring violence into this peaceful town. I have children. I want them safe,” exclaimed another.

“As long as they stay out of my neighborhood and stick to the bars, I have no problem with them,” a young man added.

Bilbo sat alone on a bench in the park with his book and a cup of tea from the coffee shop across the street. He was only half paying attention to the story in his hands because he kept an ear out for the stories that people walking by told. Bilbo himself did not have much to say about the group. He mostly thought about their dark-haired leader. He just couldn’t shake the image of him out of his head, no matter how hard he tried. Bilbo knew that he was most likely bad news, and getting involved with someone like him would end in trouble, but he was haunted by his handsome face nonetheless. He said nothing though, and just listened to others chatter and share their theories. 

“What if they’re going town to town, recruiting more remembers for their gang?” an older man speculated.

"Doubt it," Bilbo thought to himself. "They seem more like loners to me."

“Maybe they’re on a bucket list type thing,” the older man’s young friend replied, “Like what if they want to try a beer in every city or something?”

Who would travel around on bikes for beer? Bilbo wondered. He had to admit though, that was the funniest of the theories he had heard so far, and the most innocent. Most people in town had a bad feeling about the group of bikers. After awhile, the conversations around him dwindled down and Bilbo was able to fully focus on his book.

“ Finally some peace and quiet,” he mumbled to himself. He spent a good portion of the afternoon on his bench with only his tea to keep him company. That was how he preferred it, calm and tranquil. Bilbo only got up when he finished his tea to throw up the cup. As he walked back to his bench, a tall, muscular man ran into his shoulder with such a force that made him lose his grip on his book.

“Excuse you,” Bilbo snapped at the man.

“What?” the taller man answered sharply, “You have a problem little guy?” His tone was taunting as he gave Bilbo another shove that made him stumble. People always commented on his small stature, and it annoyed Bilbo every time. Having the comment on his height come from a bully just made it worse.

Bilbo scowled and held his ground, “That was very rude, and you made me drop my book. That’s a limited edition I’ll have you know.” He tried to puff himself up to make himself look stronger and more intimidating, but it did not work. The other man was not fazed at all.

“Well why don’t you just pick it up then,” the taller man pushed Bilbo harder this time so that he lost his balance and fell to the ground. “What’s the matter shorty? Go on and get your precious book!” He raised his hand again ready to strike. Bilbo closed his eyes and held his arm up, bracing himself for the impact. But it never came. The man’s arm was stopped when someone from behind him grabbed onto his wrist firmly.

“That’s enough,” a deep voice bellowed. Bilbo opened his eyes to find someone he did not expect: the leader of the biker group. His eyes widened in shock.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” the biker growled as he twisted the other man’s arm. The bully squealed in pain. Bilbo watched in silent awe from the ground. “Do you yield?”

“Yes…yes I yield,” Bilbo’s attacker yelped. The leader smiled and threw him to the ground in the opposite direction of where Bilbo lay.

“I never want to see this again. You understand?” he said fiercely. The stranger scurried away, mumbling to himself in fear. Bilbo watched him run away scared and let out a sigh of relief. He then turned to his rescuer, who had turned to face him. Their eyes met again and his face softened.

“You ok?” he asked, extending a hand to help him up.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Bilbo took his hand and stood up with the stranger’s help. “Thank you.” He looked into his eyes, finally able to see them close up. His eyes were a blue-grey with a strong intensity behind them. They felt almost commanding and Bilbo could see why he was the leader of such a strong group with those eyes.

“I’m Thorin,” he said with a smile, “Thorin Oakenshield.” He shook the smaller man’s hand that he was still holding. Bilbo forgot that he was still holding on to his hand until the movement brought his out of his trance.

“Bilbo Baggins,” he answered reflexively and smiled back. Thorin’s smile made his heart skip a beat. How could someone so tough and strong also be so soft and compassionate?

Thorin broke their connection and turned to pick up the book that was thrown. Bilbo realized that he had almost forgotten about it after this turn of events.

“I believe this is yours,” he handed the book back to Bilbo. “Sherlock Holmes… Fascinating.”

“Thanks,” Bilbo took the book from him, “It’s one of my favorites,” he continued while inspecting the book, “I’m glad it’s not badly damaged. I’ve spent years hunting down this edition. It’s limited.”

Thorin smiled, “I like it too.”

“You’ve read it?!” Bilbo looked up from his book with a look of surprise on his face.

“What? Because I ride a bike and wear leather, I can’t enjoy a good book?” Thorin retorted playfully.

“Oh, no no no that’s not what I meant…” Bilbo fumbled.

Thorin laughed loudly, “Don’t worry about it.” He put his hand on the smaller man’s shoulder. Bilbo looked up at him and smiled. 

“Thorin!” a voice from the distance interrupted. Thorin dropped his arm and both men turned to the direction of the voice to see an older man with silver hair. “The company needs you,” he added.

He answered with a nod of acknowledgment then turned back to Bilbo. “That guy shouldn’t bother you again. Take care of yourself.” He turned toward his friend and started to walk away. 

“Wait,” the smaller man called after him. Thorin stopped and turned back to face him. “What if he comes back? He could have friends you know,” he said cheekily.

“I’ll stick around for awhile, don’t you worry,” Thorin answered with a sly smile. “See you around.”

Bilbo watched the two men walk out of his line of vision before turning to leave the park. He clutched his book to his chest as he went over what just happened in his head. He felt his heart beat harder as he remembered the feeling of Thorin’s hand in his own. He pictured the strong eyes again and wondered what his story was.

“Perhaps there is more to Thorin and his group than meets the eye,” he thought out loud as he headed home.


	2. The Prancing Pony

Word traveled fast about Thorin saving Bilbo from the bully in the park. The first day, he couldn’t even leave his house without being bombarded with questions about the town’s stranger. He wanted nothing to do with the town gossip, so he decided to stay at home for a few days and let the buzz die down. He spent that time reading, gardening and day dreaming about Thorin. Bilbo couldn’t get his eyes out of his mind. He kept thinking about that strong gaze that captivated him every time their eyes met…

After a few days passed, Bilbo ventured outside. In the extra isolation time, he managed to finish his stack of books, which left him craving new reading material. Bilbo preferred to walk to the bookstore rather than drive. As a bonus, his path went through the park in the middle of town where he met Thorin a few days earlier. It was also the route that would avoid people as much as possible. While he walked through the park, he kept an eye out for Thorin, hoping to run into him. However, the dark-haired man was nowhere to be found. Bilbo wondered where the group was staying while they were in town, if they were even still here. Bilbo hoped they hadn’t left yet; he wanted to see Thorin again and learn more about him.

Bilbo made it to the bookstore without any incident or anyone bugging him about what happened with the biker. He tried to not show his face to anyone while he looked around as to not cause any commotion. He took his time picking out new books. All while, he kept an eye out for Thorin in hope that he would remember that he liked books and would come in looking for him. Yet again there was no sign of him. He was grateful that there was no one else in the store at least.

He took his books to the clerk to check out. Bilbo anticipated that she would ask about what happened in the park the other day. Over the years of coming here, Bilbo and the clerk became good friends. She was one of the few people in town that didn’t drive him crazy after spending more than 15 minutes with. 

“Hey Bilbo! Long time no see!” she exclaimed as Bilbo put his books down on the counter. 

“Hi Nimthîriel! Yeah, it’s been a few days” he answered as he braced himself for the question that she was going to ask.  
“I’m guessing you’ve been hiding because of that group of bikers?”

Bilbo just nodded as he dug through his wallet. Nimthîriel continued.

“I heard about what happened at the park the other day. It was lucky for you he was there! Some people can be such bullies! Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

She smiled as she rung up his books, “I’m glad. I was worried about you cause you weren’t answering your phone. But I guess you wanted to be alone, huh? So, what is the deal with these guys anyway?” There it was.

“Dunno. I didn’t get to talk to him much,” replied Bilbo as he handed her some cash.

“I’m really curious about them. We don’t see many people like them around here. I mean every town has their groups of different people, but no one around here is that hardcore!” She rambled on. “You know, I bet they hang out at that dive bar on the edge of town! What was the name of it again?”

It took Bilbo a few moments to remember the name. “The Prancing Pony I think…”

“Yes! That’s it! The Prancing Pony! I went there once actually. Curiosity got the best of me.”

That got his interest, “What was it like?”

“Loud, lots of alcohol, scantily clad women working the bar. It was mostly dudes just hanging out for the most part. You know, what a normal bar is like. I really don’t get why it has such a bad reputation to be honest.” She put Bilbo’s books in a bag and handed it to him.

“I guess people around here are just used to the quiet life,” he speculated.

“I guess,” the clerk sighed and flipped her long brown hair out of her way. “Well, here you go Bilbo!” She handed the bag of books to him. “I’ll see you soon! And don’t leave me hanging next time!”

“Thanks. I won’t!” Bilbo took the bag and headed towards the door when Nimthîriel suddenly remembered something.

“Bilbo!” She shouted after him, “I almost forgot to ask you what his name is?” She was a very curious person, always had to know everything.  
He turned to answer, “He said it was Thorin.” Just saying his name again made Bilbo’s heart skip a beat.

“Thorin…” Nimthîriel echoed as Bilbo walked out the door.

Bilbo made up his mind that he would try looking for Thorin at the Prancing Pony tonight. He trusted the bookstore clerk’s word that it wasn’t the scary, bad place that everyone though it was. He walked briskly home to put his books away and get his car. He decided that he should also change his clothes to something that would fit in more in the bar environment. When he got home, he traded his favorite multi-colored patchwork coat and tan pants for a grey shirt, dark red jacket and jeans. He figured darker colors would help him blend in more.

As the sun set, Bilbo drove his little car to the outskirts of town where the seemingly shady bar was. The little brown building sat on its own at the top of a small hill. From the outside, it looked like a renovated cottage. It was actually really cute from a distance. Bilbo wondered what the building used to be because it was bought out for the bar. He parked his car near the back of the parking lot under a streetlight and walked towards the bar. The front door has an old style lantern hanging in front of it, along with a green sign with the bar’s name and a picture of a horse on it. A row of motorcycles lined the outer wall of the bar. Bilbo tried to remember what Thorin’s bike looked like, but he couldn’t picture it in his head.

He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. A cloud of smoke and a roar of men’s drunken laughter greeted him right away. The smoke caught him off guard, making him cough, but he quickly shook it off. No one noticed him walk in, so Bilbo dashed for a corner table where he could scan the bar without being seen. It was more crowded than he would have guessed it would be, and the inside of the bar was darker than he anticipated. Finding Thorin was going to be harder than he thought. While he sat at his table alone, a bar maid came by and offered him a drink. 

“Just an ale please,” he told the waitress. He was glad that his presence did not raise any eyebrows or cause any ruckus. She returned quickly with his drink and then left him alone. Bilbo sipped his drink as he scanned the bar again for a familiar face.

Finally, Bilbo found what he was looking for. At the very end of the bar he could see Thorin’s profile and the familiar black leather jacket. He sat with what Bilbo guessed were a few members of his group. He recognized the bald one from when he saw the group the first time they rode into town. There was also a man with brown hair and a hat, one with red hair and a large red beard, and a very large man. His friends all talked loudly amongst themselves with beers in their hands. Thorin himself, however, sat quietly and watched the others carry on. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Unsure of what to do, Bilbo just watched Thorin’s movements carefully. Maybe if he stared hard enough, he would will the other man to look in his direction. His efforts seemed to be in vain, as the dark-haired man was completely in his own world. Bilbo studied his face as best he could from this distance. Seeing Thorin in profile made him notice his strong jawline, which was framed with a dark, scruffy beard. His brows were furrowed as he gazed blankly into his drink. Bilbo wondered what he could be thinking about so intensely.

Suddenly, a loud clash shook Bilbo out of his thoughts. Thorin’s large friend knocked his drink over, along with half of the contents of the bar. The unexpected noise also shook Thorin out of his trance and he looked over to his friends to see if they were ok. The rest of his group was too drunk to really care about the mess and they laughed obnoxiously at the situation. Their leader watched them carry on calmly when something, or someone, caught his eye. Thorin looked to the corner of the bar and locked eyes with Bilbo. 

When their eyes met, Bilbo’s breath caught in his chest. This was what he was wishing for, but not that he has Thorin’s attention, he was at a loss of what to do next. Should he go up to him? Would the rest of his group be we welcoming as their leader was? But before Bilbo could make up his mind, Thorin grabbed his drink, got up and walked over to him, leaving his drunken friends alone.

“I’m surprised to see you here Mr. Baggins,” Thorin said with a smile once he reached Bilbo’s table. “What are you doing here?”

“Uhhh…” Bilbo wasn’t sure how to answer. He glanced up at the other man and immediately looked down into his ale.

“You didn’t happen to be looking for me would you?” he asked playfully.

“Ummm… yeah actually…” the smaller man answered shyly.

“Well, you found me. Congratulations!” he tapped his glass against Bilbo’s and took a drink. Bilbo picked up his ale and took a sip from his own glass. He felt much more at ease now. Perhaps it was the alcohol’s doing, as he wasn’t much of a drinker. He could feel his face flushing because of the ale. Thorin must have noticed this because he started to laugh.

“What? What’s so funny?” Bilbo asked, trying but failing to keep a straight face.

“I take it you’re not much of a drinker, judging by the red in your face,” Thorin answered through a bright smile. Bilbo had never seen such a smile on the other man’s face before. It made his whole tough demeanor melt away to reveal someone completely new.

“Haha, no I’m not,” he replied through a smile. He felt his cheeks redden even more, though he wondered if was completely from the ale. He lowered his eyes to the table again to keep the taller man from noticing.

“So, you came all the way here and got a beer to try to find me. What is it you want?” Thorin changed the mood to be more serious.

Bilbo gathered up his courage to answer his question, “I… wanted to talk to you.” His eyes still did not leave the table.

Thorin stood up, “Well then, let us go talk.”

Bilbo looked up at Thorin. “Go?” he asked nervously.

“We can’t really talk in a loud bar. Why don’t we go out for a walk so we can actually hear ourselves think? I promise you I won’t kill you or anything,” joked Thorin. His soft smile was sincere. Bilbo wasn’t sure what it was about this man, but he knew he could trust him.

“I’ll hold you to it,” Bilbo replied with a laugh as he placed some money on the table for the waitress. The two men stood up and left the chaos of the bar for the tranquility of the outdoors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I'm guilty, the bookstore clerk is supposed to be me. I have no shame. And I promise I won’t pull a Criminal Minds and have Thorin murder Bilbo in the woods! At this point, I'm thinking this will be about 7 chapters or so. Thanks everyone for reading!! :)


	3. Thorin's Story

The crisp evening air greeted Thorin and Bilbo as they walked out of the Prancing Pony. Bilbo stopped and took in the fresh air, glad to be out of the smoky bar. Although he did like to indulge in pipes sometimes, the smell of cigarette bothered him. Thorin stopped a few steps ahead of him and waited until his companion was ready to catch up before heading forward. Bilbo took a moment to look over at the row of bikes as he stood in the front of the bar.

“Which one is yours?” he asked as he gestured to the parked motorcycles.

“Don’t you remember?” Thorin responded with a question.

“Not exactly,” Bilbo said shyly, “A lot happened since I first saw you.”

Thorin seemed amused as he walked over to his bike, “It’s the third one in.” His bike was a large black Harley Davidson with gold details around the rims and the engine. “Are you impressed?” he added with pride in his voice. 

Bilbo followed him over to get a closer look. “It’s beautiful,” he sighed as he studied every detail of the bike. It looked like a bike a leader would drive. He carefully ran his fingers across the handle. Although he knew nothing about motorcycles, he understood enough to appreciate a fine piece of machinery.

The biker watched him with a smile, happy that his ride was enough to impress his new friend. While Bilbo studied the front, Thorin open the back compartment to check its contents. He did not pull anything out, just checked to see if his possession was still there.

“What’s in there?” Bilbo asked as he noticed the back compartment open.

“It’s a family heirloom. My most prized possession,” Thorin pulled out a sparkling white stone that was more gorgeous than anything Bilbo had ever seen before. “It’s been in my family for generations.” He held it carefully, yet protectively.

“Wow,” the stone left him in complete awe. He watched in silent admiration as Thorin placed it back in the storage compartment is his motorcycle and locked it.

“Shall we go for a walk? You shouldn’t be driving quite yet,” Thorin extended his hand towards the sidewalk in an offering manor. “We can take the path lit by streetlights if you prefer.”

“Yeah that sounds good,” Bilbo walked in the direction his arm pointed.

The two walked side by side down the hill in silence at first, both getting used to each other’s company. However, neither felt completely awkward in the other’s presence. Bilbo was also using more focus on his steps until he got his rhythm going. He eventually was able to take his steps without wobbling by aligning his steps with the taller man’s. When they reached the bottom of the hill, Thorin was the one to break the silence.

“So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” He asked as they kept walking down the lit sidewalk.

“Well, I wanted to thank you again for the other day.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“Of course I do. I would have been in big trouble if you hadn’t come along,” Bilbo replied with enthusiasm. He knew that there was nothing he could possibly do to repay him for that day.

Thorin smiled, “But I’m guessing you didn’t come all the way out here just to say thank you.” He was right. “So, out with it.”

Bilbo took a deep breath, “What brings you guys to this little town?” He was nervous about asking, but curiosity got the best of him. Plus, he did come all this way to talk to him, so he figured he would make the most of it.

He didn’t seem to mind the question, “That’s always the first question anyone asks.” He actually looked amused; and Bilbo wondered why he worried so much about such a simple question. “We’re on a quest.” His answer was simple.

“A quest? For what?”

Thorin stopped walking as they approached a bus stop bench under a street lamp, “Shall we sit?” Thorin sat down on the bench, and Bilbo joined him at this side. The biker faced forward, looking into the dark woods. The smaller man faced him in silence as he waited for him to speak. A light breeze picked up as they sat. Thorin did not move has his long dark hair danced in the wind, but because of the angle he sat at, Bilbo had to push his wavy light brown hair out of his eyes.

“We’re from a town in the mountains far away from here called Erabor. Most of us there made our living from the land or the mines within the mountain. We lived in peace for a long time, and the land provided more than enough for everyone to live comfortably.” He paused and took in a deep breath. “But everything changed when someone new bought out the mines.”

Bilbo said nothing as he spoke. He let Thorin pause as many times as he needed to. He could already tell that this story did not have a happy ending. The biker still did not look him in the eyes, but Bilbo still kept his gaze fixed on him.

After a few breaths, Thorin continued, “My family had been in control of the mines for several generations. We always wanted to keep it in the family and not sell to any big businesses. We constantly got new offers to sell, but we always turned it down.” 

“So, what made your family change their mind?” Bilbo asked.

Thorin took a deep breath as he prepared to answer, “There was an accident… or at least what we thought was an accident. One day, one of the mines completely caved in on itself, trapping a group of workers inside. We tried for days to dig them out, but it was too dangerous to go in after them, and they were deemed lost.” He closed his eyes in pain, “My grandfather was one of those people trapped.” 

“I’m so sorry Thorin,” Bilbo was at a loss of what to say. He never heard a sadder story in all his life. To lose a family member and friends in such a terrible way… He couldn’t even imagine the pain everyone in that town went through.

The taller man bowed his head in acknowledgment before he continued, “At first, the elders of the town blamed it on Smaug…”

“Smaug?” Bilbo never heard that name before.

“It’s an old legend in my part of the world. Smaug is the dragon god of fire that lives in a volcano. The myth goes that he provides the fire that cleanses the land and provides fertile soil, as long as we don’t go too far into the Earth and disturb him.”

The smaller man nodded as Thorin told of the legend. He wondered why he had never come across that myth before in his books. Perhaps it was too old and too far removed from the rest of the world for anyone to write about it.

“Smaug is just an old fairy tale to us at this point, and we kept digging into the Earth. But, after the accident, no one wanted to work in the mines anymore, and my father, siblings and I couldn’t keep our business afloat anymore. Shortly after the accident, we received an offer from a man named Azog and my father sold our mines. My father thought it was the right thing to do, but this man and his company were nothing but a bunch of greedy, money-hungry monsters. They destroyed our lands and drove our town into the ground as they tried to squeeze every last penny out of our land.” Thorin’s voice got stronger as he spoke. His anger was written plainly across his face.

“My father tried to go to him,” he went on, “He tried to reason with him. If things went on, our town would be nothing. Everyone was already suffering because there was less and less of the land to live off of.” Thorin clenched his fists in his lap. “My father tried to reason with him, to get him to work with us. But Azog wanted nothing of it. Balin and Dwalin were there. They said that things got pretty heated, but nothing got resolved. He wasn’t going to budge. He didn’t care about our town or our people.” 

His voice softened. “After my father stormed out, he disappeared…” He slumped down and looked at the ground between his feet, “His body was found a week later in the river.” Thorin was almost whispering at this point.

Tears filled Bilbo’s eyes, but he wiped them away before they fell. He scooted closer to Thorin and put his hand on his thigh in a comforting manor. “I’m so sorry,” he said tenderly. The other man did not move, and they sat in silence for a few moments. Bilbo spoke, “Didn’t the police do anything? I mean, your father’s death is obviously suspicious.”

“It was. So was the supposed accident in the mines. But no one did anything,” Thorin answered, “Azog must have paid off everyone to keep himself from getting charged. He’s behind the accident at the mines too, I just know it. It all lines up too well.” Bitterness lined his voice. “After that though, he disappeared.”

The realization hit Bilbo, and all the pieces came together, “So that’s why you’re traveling the country. You’re looking for the man that killed your family.”

Thorin nodded, “My company and I have all vowed to make Azog pay. If no one else will do anything, then we will.” He finally turned to look directly at Bilbo. “I received word that he may be traveling through this town any day now. We came here to end this once and for all.” He turned to face Bilbo; there was strong resolve in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Bilbo repeated, unsure of what else to say. What does someone say to a person who lost everything? “I can’t imagine what it must be like for you.”

“You are kind, Bilbo,” his voice softened. Bilbo’s words seemed to comfort him. He placed his hand on top of Bilbo’s, which still lay on his thigh.   
The touch sent a chill up his spine. Thorin’s hand felt warm on top of his own. A faint smile graced the biker’s face as they shared another silent moment. Bilbo’s heart beat faster in his chest as he smiled shyly back at Thorin.

Their moment, however, was broken by the sound of Bilbo’s cell phone ringing. Bilbo jumped, startled by the noise the sliced through the quiet air. He instinctually pulled his hand away from Thorin and reached into his pocket before he even though about his action.

“Excuse me,” he was suddenly flustered as he fumbled with his phone. Thorin nodded. “Hello?” he answered his phone.

“Bilbo my dear boy!” the voice on the other end of the line greeted him. He recognized that voice anywhere.

“Gandalf!” 

Thorin’s eyes widened in surprise. Bilbo took notice and wondered to himself how the two men knew each other.

“Why are you calling so late?” Bilbo asked his friend on the phone.

“I just came into town this evening. Shall we meet for tea tomorrow?”

“Sure. Come over any time.” With that, Bilbo hung up the phone. “Should we head back?” he asked Thorin.

“Yeah,” he got up and led the way back to the bar. Bilbo followed just a step behind him. “So, how do you know Gandalf?” He stopped for a moment to ask Bilbo.

“He’s an old friend,” he answered as he caught up. They continued walking side by side. “He travels a lot, but he comes back here quiet often. How do you know him?”

“He was friends with my father. He helped my family a lot when we were going through everything.”

“He really gets around for an old man,” Bilbo tried to listen the mood and make Thorin laugh again. It worked. He let out a hardy laugh.

Thorin was amused by his comment, “He’s a jack-of-all-trades, what do you expect?”

Bilbo joined his laughter, “Around here, he’s known as the wizard because there’s nothing he doesn't do. Also the children here enjoy his fireworks.”

“The wizard… I like that. I’ll have to remember that.” Thorin’s troubles seemed to be on the backburner for now as he conversed with Bilbo. They shared small talk on the rest of the walk back to the bar. When they reached their destination, the parking lot was still full of cars and motorcycles and the noise from inside were louder than before.

“Sounds like they’re all having a good time in there,” Bilbo mused.

Thorin smirked, “Yeah, my guess would be Bofur and Bomber,” He referred to two of his friends that were with him earlier: the one with the hat and the large one. “No matter what happens, they always manager to cause a ruckus,” he added in a light-hearted tone.

“Well, this is me,” Bilbo gestured to his car as he pulled out his keys.

“Then this is goodnight Mr. Baggins,” Thorin patted his shoulder and turned to walk away. Bilbo wasn’t quite ready to get goodbye to him just yet.

“Thorin!” he called after him.

He stopped and turned back to him. “What is it?”

“Let me give you my number,” he pulled out his phone.

“You don’t want to come seek me out here again?” he teased.

Bilbo gave him a stern look, but that quickly melted away. They exchanged numbers. “Ok then, I’ll be in touch,” Bilbo waved goodbye and got in his car.

Thorin watched him drive away. When his car was completely out of sight, he turned and went into the bar. He wondered if Bilbo had noticed the redness that came across his face. He tried his best to hide his flushing face while they talked. He inspected his hand as he remembered the feeling of the smaller man against it. He smiled to himself, and was glad the he had the courage to find him. For now though, he would have to bury his feelings as he went into the bar to join the rest of his group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure you all picked up on it, but Thorin’s family heirloom is the arkenstone. :)  
> Also, I'm thinking this will end up being 8 chapters.
> 
> Thank you all for the reads, comments and kudos! I really appreciate! And if anyone feels inspired to make any fanart, I welcome it!! :)


	4. Company

The following day, Bilbo spent the morning cleaning his house and preparing tea for his afternoon guest. He went over his conversation with Thorin in his head as he did so, remembering every detail of the night before. He thought about every time the two touched: setting his hand on Thorin’s leg, Thorin placing his hand on his shoulder, shaking hands…

A ring of his doorbell shook Bilbo out of his zone. He checked the clock, Gandalf was always early. Luckily, over the years Bilbo had come to anticipate that and had everything ready. We went to the door to let his old friend in.

“Bilbo!” the old man exclaimed, “So good to see you my friend!” He embraced him in a friendly hug.

“It’s good to see you too Gandalf! Come on in!” He led the way into the living room of his small, but cozy home. As Gandalf made himself comfortable on the couch, Bilbo went into the kitchen to fetch the tea and biscuits.

“So, how was everything on the road? You’ve been gone awhile this time,” Bilbo set the tray down and sat down next to his friend. He poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, then poured one for himself.

“Thank you.” Gandalf took the cup, “Oh everything is just grand. I had several jobs back to back. Traveled all over the place. How have things been here? Did your sister have the baby yet?”

Bilbo took a sip of his tea, “Oh yeah, a little boy. Otherwise, everything else is the same old.” He wanted to bring up the group of newcomers, but wasn't quite sure how.

“If it’s one thing you can expect from a quiet little town is that it will always be a quiet little town,” he paused, “Except when it’s not…”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Bilbo put his cup of tea down. “Gandalf?”

The old man said nothing. He only smiled devilishly, as if he knew something that Bilbo didn’t. And Bilbo had the feeling that he was not going to like what his friend had up his sleeve.

Right on cue, the doorbell rang.

Bilbo glared at Gandalf. “What’s going on?”

He smiled, “Why don’t you answer the door Bilbo?”

Reluctantly, Bilbo got up and went to the door. There to greet him was 13 men all dressed in various shades of leather jackets: Thorin’s biker group. Bilbo stood in stunned silence as the group of smiling faces stared back at him. Gandalf stood up behind him.

“Come in! Come in!” he said to the group, ushering them in. The group eagerly entered Bilbo’s home, chattering amongst themselves as they did. They each sopped to nod in greeting and introduce themselves to Bilbo, who stood beside Gandalf dumbfounded.

“Gandalf, what’s going on?” Bilbo asked. Gandalf just smiled at him and went to join the growing number of people in Bilbo’s living room.

“The kitchen is over there. Why don’t you fetch us some more snacks. Bilbo is always well stocked,” Gandalf told a pair of the bikers. They immediately went in the direction mentioned and quickly came back with handfuls of food. 

Bilbo did not move from his spot at the doorway in disbelief at what was happening. Never in his wildest dreams would he have guessed that he would play host to a biker gang. He watched the rowdy group rearrange his furniture so that they all had room to sit. It was only the sound of footsteps beside him that caught his attention.

He turned to see their leader standing beside him. “Thorin! What’s going on? Why is everyone here? And how did you all know where I live?”

Thorin smiled, “Gandalf contacted me last night. We needed a safe place to meet and he offered us your home.” He pat Bilbo on the shoulder playfully. “Thank you for offering your home to us,” he added with a wink.

Bilbo opened his mouth to answer, but was silenced by Thorin’s charm. He fidgeted with his shirt before he responded, “O-of course.” He then gestured to his living room and closed the door behind Thorin. In the back of his mind, Bilbo wondered why they needed a safe place to gather, and why his house was considered a safe place.

He followed Thorin into the living room and sat down next to him. The rest of the group also settled into seats, all situated so that they sat in a circle. The tone in the room turned more serious. 

Gandalf started, “Alright. I heard from a reliable source that Azog is on the move and heading this way.”

“We already knew that,” the bald one named Dwalin cut him off. “You’ve told us this before and we’ve been waiting in this town for days with no result. Why is this time any different?”

“Tracking someone who does not want to be found is no easy task,” the old man answered, “But this time I am sure of it.”

“Do we know when exactly he’ll get here?” the young one named Ori spoke up.

“Or what direction he’s coming from?” the one named Bilfur chimed in.

“Or even what our plan is?” the older man named Balin asked.

They all turned to Thorin for their answer. “We set up watches in different areas all over town. We lay low, stay out of sight. We trap him in and finish this once and for all!” The group all cheered and the tone in the room immediately lightened. The chatter started up again as each pair struck up their own conversations.

Bilbo sat in silence as he watched the group talk and plan about what to do about Azog. As they grew more boisterous again, he clutched at his jeans nervously and silently hoped that nothing would end up broken. He watched as some of them pulled out bottles of alcohol and poured cups for everyone. Cheers and laughter filled the room as the group turned his quiet home into a party house.

Bilbo’s uneasiness melted away as he realized that this group of men is no different than anyone else. The group acted like any other group of friends would: they drank together, made jokes at the other’s expense, and supported each other. As he watched them, he wondered how he could have judged them the way he did. He smiled to himself and made a vow to never judge someone like that again. It was cliché, but it was true: one should never judge a book by its cover.

One of them, Fili, offered him a cup of alcohol. “Oh, no thank you. I’m fine,” Bilbo politely declined the offer. “Just try not to break anything, ok?”

Fili smiled, “Of course Mr. Baggins,” he answered. He then turned to the dark-haired young man named Kili, “Here brother,” he handed him the cup, “And stop texting Tauriel for a few minutes and join the company!” Bilbo could tell that Fili was the elder by how he looked after Kili. He also guessed that Tauriel was Kili’s girlfriend based on the older brother’s teasing tone.

Kili took the cup his brother offered and took a sip before turning to Bilbo, “Thank you for hosting us Mr. Boggins!” He raised his glass, and the rest of the gang joined in the cheers.

Bilbo nodded his head and smiled at the group. He watched as they took their drinks and went back to their various discussions. A tap on his shoulder took his attention away from the group. It was Thorin, who had also been watching the group quietly. He gestured towards the front door. Bilbo nodded and followed the taller man outside, leaving the rest of the group to carry on.

Once they were outside, Thorin spoke, “What to go for a ride?” 

Bilbo smiled, “Sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your continuous support with this! I really appreciate the love you all have shown for this!!


	5. The Bike Ride

Thorin climbed on his bike and Bilbo followed. He sat on the passenger seat behind the taller man. The biker tied his hair up so that it wouldn’t hit his friend in the face and got himself situated.

“I assume this is your first ride. Are you nervous?” he asked light-heartedly.

“No,” Bilbo smiled at Thorin, “Because I’m with you.” He wrapped his arms around Thorin’s waist.

“Hold on then,” Thorin smiled to himself and started his bike. They rode off down the road. Bilbo held onto the biker’s waist and leaned his head on his strong, broad back. Bilbo didn’t know where they were going, and he didn’t care. He just enjoyed the time with Thorin. He also now understood why bikers were so passionate about their motorcycles; the feeling of the air cutting through him as they rode was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was truly exhilarating.

Thorin drove them in silence for awhile before ending up in the woods on the outskirts of town. He pulled up to a large oak tree and shut off his bike. “Shall we rest here for a bit?” he asked as he let his hair down. He got off and set the kickstand up, then helped Bilbo off.

Bilbo took his hand and leaned some of his weight on the biker as he hopped off the bike. Once he was steady, he looked up at Thorin, locking eyes again. He had a weakness for the older man’s eyes: the eyes that told a hundred stories without a single word. Bilbo had come to understand why so many authors of the books he read talked about swimming in another person’s eyes. He knew it was cheesy, but he couldn’t help but have that feeling about Thorin.

“Bilbo?” Thorin’s deep voice brought the smaller man back to reality, “You ok?”

“Yeah,” he answered out of reflex, “Fine.” It was then he realized that he was still holding Thorin’s hand and déjà vu hit him as he flashed back to their first meeting in the park. “Sorry,” he pulled his hand away quickly.

Thorin said nothing and walked to the other side of the tree. Bilbo followed him and the two men sat down next to each other, leaning against the large tree.

“You don’t see forests like this just anywhere,” Thorin thought out loud.

“Did… Do you have forests like this back in Erebor?” Bilbo asked.

“Forests yes, but not quite like this. This town is…” Thorin searched for the right word, “Peaceful. I’ve never felt more at peace in a town before.” He turned to Bilbo and smiled.

Bilbo smiled back, his heart racing. “It used to be, at least,” he teased and playfully punched the biker on the shoulder.

The biker laughed whole-heartedly, “Touché Mr. Baggins.” The two shared their laughter, and both felt more at ease than they had been in a long time.

But, Bilbo had something nagging at the back of his mind. Something he needed answer to. “Thorin?” his voice was more serious.

“What is it,” he replied, noticing the seriousness.

“What did you mean when you said you needed a safe place to meet? Why isn’t the bar or wherever you’re staying a safe place?”

Thorin took a deep breath, “Azog may travel alone, but he has a network of spies and scouts that work for him. He always knows everything about every town he visits. That’s how we track him: we follow his spies.” Bilbo nodded silently. The biker continued, “As far as I know, he doesn’t know about you at this point, so your house was the best place for us to meet to stay under his radar. For now at least.” He added as he clutched the sheathed sword on his belt.

“I see…” was all Bilbo could say. He felt as if he was in over his head with this group. He had never left his small town before and knew nothing about things like this. Then, a thought came into his head, “Hey, how come you all carry swords instead of guns? A little old fashioned, wouldn’t you say?” 

“There’s more honor in a sword fight,” he answered bluntly. Bilbo nodded in silence. He could tell that honor was something that meant a great deal to the biker.

“I do want to keep an eye on you though,” the dark-haired man spoke up again, “I’ll have Balin watch your house and my nephews will watch the bookstore.”

“Your nephews?” That caught Bilbo off guard.

Thorin smiled, lightening up the conversation again, “Fili and Kili are my sister’s sons.”

“Oh…wow…” a puzzled look draped Bilbo’s face as he thought back to the two brothers at his house.

“What? Do I look too young to be their uncle?” it was Thorin’s turn to tease.

“No...I mean…That’s not what I meant…” the younger man tried to form a complete reply, but failed. His flustered reply made Thorin laugh. Bilbo smiled along with his friend and set his worries aside for the moment. All he wanted right now was to enjoy the biker’s company. Their laughter subsided and the two sat in comfortable silence again. Bilbo could hear Thorin humming a song faintly under his breath, and listened attentively to his deep voice. The sun was starting to go down, making the scenery around them change colors; the blues and greens became oranges and purples.

“Hey Thorin,” Bilbo spoke up.

“Hm?”

“What are you going to do when this is all over? Will you go back to Erebor?” Secretly, Bilbo hoped that he would change his mind and want to stay with him. Although he barely knew him, there was something about the biker that drew Bilbo to him. He wasn’t ready for his time with him to be over yet.

“Yes,” he answered, “We need to rebuild the city and help the people there.”

“I see…” was all Bilbo could reply.

“Why do you ask?” Thorin turned to face the brunette.

“No reason,” he could feel Thorin’s gaze on him, but he couldn’t bring himself to look the other man in the eyes. He felt as if he would melt if their eyes locked again.

Thorin reached over and cupped Bilbo’s cheek. Reflexively, Bilbo leaned into the biker’s touch. He pulled his face to that they were looking straight at each other. The smaller man could feel his cheeks burning red and his heart beat harder and faster in his chest. Without a word, Thorin pulled him closer to his own face. Coming closer, Bilbo noticed that the biker’s face was flushed as well. The passion behind his eyes burned like red hot lava.

“Thorin…” Bilbo whispered. But he was cut off by the biker’s lips on his own in a heated kiss. He was surprised at first, but quickly leaned into Thorin’s lips, and returned the kiss with equal passion. He felt as if he could catch on fire just from the heat of their kiss. Bilbo clutched into his leather jacket as if his life depended on it. The sun continued to set as they kissed under the big oak tree.

The biker pulled away so they could catch their breath. He smiled down at Bilbo as he brushed a lock of his light brown hair out of his eye. The younger man smiled back, and he felt like a schoolgirl who had just got together with her first crush. The taller man pulled Bilbo into his arms and held him lovingly.

“Can I ask you to consider something?” Thorin asked, still playing with Bilbo’s wavy hair.

“What is it?”

“Would you consider coming to Erebor with me when this is all over?” Bilbo sat up and looked directly at Thorin. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you, so you don’t have to answer right away.”

Bilbo took his hand, “I’ll think about it.”

Thorin nodded, understanding completely. He was asking him to leave his home and his entire life for him. It was only fair he give him time to think about it. He couldn’t express in words how much he wanted him to say yes though. But that prospect would have to wait. Azog would be here any day, and he had been looking forward to this for a long time.

“It’s getting late. We should head back. I don’t want you out when it’s so dark out. Who knows where Azog’s spies are hiding,” Thorin stood up, and then helped Bilbo to his feet. He started towards his motorcycle, but stopped and turned back to the other man, “I promise I will keep you safe.” 

Bilbo nodded, “I know. I trust you.” He could see the sincerity in his eyes. He already felt safe when he was with Thorin. He held out his hand to the biker, which he accepted. It was only a few steps to the bike, but they both enjoyed the connection at their hands. Thorin helped Bilbo onto his motorcycle, and then sat in front of him. The smaller man immediately wrapped his arms around the biker and leaned his head up against the back his shoulder. The taller man looked down at Bilbo’s hand around his waist and smiled. He had honestly never felt happier in his life. He tied his hair back again and started the bike.

Once they got back to Bilbo’s house, the rest of the company had already left, as all the motorcycles were gone.

“I guess they went back,” Thorin observed as he got off his bike.

“Where are you guys staying anyway?” Bilbo asked as he followed the biker.

“The Prancing Pony has a few old rooms upstairs. The owner said it’s mostly for people who got too drunk to drive home, but he’s letting us use a few rooms while we’re in town.”

“I didn’t know they had that. That’s nice,” Bilbo thought to himself that it was the second thing he had misjudged since the group of bikers came to town. He began to wonder about going with Thorin to Erebor; this man had already changed his life so much. What else lay ahead for them if he went with him?

Thorin just smiled. Bilbo noticed that he smiled at lot when they were alone together. His tough demeanor faded away and showed a much softer side of the biker. “I’ll walk you to your door,” he took his hand and they walked together to Bilbo’s front door.

When they reached it, Bilbo asked Thorin, “Are you going back with your group now?”

“Yes,” he started, “Don’t worry, someone will always keep watch over you.”

Bilbo’s eyes darted down towards the floor, “Ok,” he whispered.

The taller man brought his hand to Bilbo’s chin and guided his face back up to look at him directly, “I’ll never be far away. Don’t hesitate to call if you need me.” He placed a quick kiss on the shorter man’s forehead. “Tell you what; I’ll stay until you fall asleep. Deal?”

He smiled, “Deal.” They shared another quick kiss goodnight and Bilbo went inside. He turned on the light and took a moment to look around, afraid of the mess he would find. To his surprise, everything was clean and back the way it originally was. On the coffee table was a note that read “Thank you for hosting. Sorry for eating all your food.” Bilbo dropped the note and ran to the kitchen, only to find it barren. He couldn’t be too mad, though, because this group to rag-tag bikers had completely turned his life upside down, but in a good way. He actually had to laugh out loud at it all.

As he got himself ready for bed, he thought about the group of bikers. They really were starting to grow on him. And knowing that Thorin reciprocated his feelings made his heart flutter. But, he sank when he thought about what was coming down the road. He feared for Thorin and his group, and hoped that everything would be ok. He glanced out the window to see if he was still there. He was: Bilbo could see his bike with the biker leaning against it smoking a pipe. He must have felt his gaze because he looked in the direction of his window. They shared a brief look before Thorin bowed his head and went back to his pipe. Bilbo climbed into bed and waited until he heard the sound of the motorcycle roaring to life before he drifted off to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it obvious I have a thing for Thorin's eyes? =P  
> I really enjoyed writing this chapter because this was the picture in my head that inspired this whole fic.  
> Again, thank you all for the love you've shown!! It's always appreciated!! <3


	6. Azog

When Bilbo awoke the next morning, he immediately went to the window to see if Thorin had returned. Instead of the black and gold motorcycle, however, he saw a dark grey one. Its owner, the older man named Balin, sat not too far from it on the bench. His heart sank for a moment, but Bilbo picked himself up and got dressed before going downstairs to make coffee. While it brewed, he went to the front door.

“Balin,” he called out, getting the old man’s attention, “I’m making coffee. Want to come in and have a cup?”

“Aye. Thank you laddie,” he answered as he came inside.

Bilbo brought him a fresh cup of hot coffee, “It’s the least I can do. How long have you been outside?”

“I came in the middle of the night. Thorin has everyone taking shifts to watch for Azog now that he’s so close.”

The smaller man was shocked. He didn’t expect someone to watch his house all night. “Thank you.”

Balin nodded. They chatted for awhile about their home towns, their pastimes, their favorite books, and so on. Bilbo found that he took quite a liking to the older man. He seemed like someone he could trust and talk to, which was rare to him.

After they finished their coffee, Bilbo offered his couch for the other man to rest for awhile. He decided to head over to the bookstore. He suggested that he text Thorin to let him know where he was heading so that the bookstore watch would be on guard. 

Before he got in his car, Bilbo pulled out his phone and pulled up Thorin’s contact.

_I’m heading to the bookstore._

As he was driving, he heard his text notification. He waited until he pulled into the parking lot at the bookstore before checking his phone. It was from Thorin.

_Fili and Kili will be keeping watch._

Bilbo smiled at his phone as he walked inside. It was empty again except for one familiar face.

“Bilbo!” Nimthîriel greeted him.

“Hi there,” he waved, “It’s quiet in here today. Where is everyone?”

Her cheerful face dropped, “People have been staying inside a lot the past few days on account of your new friends roaming the town.”

His face soured, “That’s unfortunate. They’re really not as bad as people think they are.”

She smiled devilishly, “So I’ve seen.”

Bilbo looked confused, “What do you mean?”

Nimthîriel reached under her desk and pulled out a carefully wrapped package and handed it to him, “Your new best friend came by and dropped this off for you. I’ve never heard of it before, and from the looks of it, it’s a first edition. Very rare.”

He took the package and unwrapped it carefully. He inspected the antique book with precision. It was obviously very old, but was otherwise in near perfect condition. “Incredible,” he sighed. “I’m going to run it to my car to keep it safe.” The clerk nodded as Bilbo dashed out to his car. He hid the book under the passenger seat to keep it out of the sunlight, locked the car and came back inside.

“So, tell me about these bikers. I want to know about this ‘scary’ group, especially this Thorin guy. It’s not every day that someone just drops off a rare book like that,” Nimthîriel asked once her friend was back inside. 

Bilbo told her about the events of the pervious few days, starting with the night he went to look for Thorin at the Prancing Pony. She listened attentively, not saying a word. She had always been a good listener, and very understanding and accepting of people from all walks of life. Perhaps that was why Bilbo got along so well with her, that and their shared passion for books. When he got to telling her about his ride with the leader, her face lit up.

“Way to go Bilbo!” she nudged his shoulder playfully. “So that explains why he brought that book for you.”

“Yeah…” Bilbo looked down, embarrassed at the teasing. 

“Well I’m happy for you,” her tone softened, “Really, I am.”

He smiled back at her, “Thank you.”

Just then, the door to the bookstore burst open, and Fili and Kili ran inside in a panic. Both Bilbo and Nimthîriel jumped, startled at the sudden noise. The look on both of their faces told Bilbo that something was wrong.

“Mr. Boggins,” Kili ran over to him.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Azog. He’s here.”

All the color drained from Bilbo’s face. Everything the group had been waiting for was now here, and the stories he heard of Azog were enough to make his stomach churn. “Azog…” he breathed.

“We have to get out of here,” Kili’s voice was urgent.

“Can you close the shop?” Fili asked Nimthîriel. “Sorry to ask but word is he’s heading down this way.”

Nimthîriel nodded, still in shock. But she pulled herself together quickly, “Drop all the blinds down. I’ll lock the door and get the alarm.” The four of them scrambled to close the blinds as quickly as they could. Bilbo ran over to the window and reached for the string when the sound of a motorcycle roar in the distance caught his attention.

From the distance came a lone motorcycle. It was completely white and larger than any bike Bilbo had seen before. Its rider was also completely dressed in white. He had a strong, sharp face and short platinum blonde hair. Even from a distance, he could tell that the rider had several large scars across his face, and guessed that he had more hidden underneath his clothes. The white biker stopped and turned towards the window that Bilbo was looking out of. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest in fear. Azog turned toward him and started making his away over.

“Get away from the window,” Kili grabbed him from behind and pulled him back. “We need to get out of here.” Fili grabbed Nimthîriel’s hand and the four ran towards the back of the store.

“Is there a back exit?” he asked her.

“Yeah, the employee entrance. This way.”

But before they reached the back room, the sound of shattered glass broke through the bookstore. Azog has picked up a large rock from outside and hurled it through the glass window. Nimthîriel screamed, but Fili quickly covered her mouth with one hand and wrapped his other arm protectively around her as he guided her behind a large bookcase. Bilbo and Kili jumped in surprise and Kili quickly guided him behind the bookcase next to Fili and Nimthîriel. He ushered the smaller man behind him, ready to protect his uncle’s precious friend. The brothers each pulled out the swords they carried, ready to fight.

The sound of glass crunching sliced through the air as Azog stepped in through the broken window. He walked in a few steps before stopping. The four sat completely still behind the bookshelves. Bilbo hoped that he would think that they had already ran out the back way, but he knew deep down that he was smarter than that.

“I know you’re still here, rats,” Azog’s deep voice filled the room, “The nephews of Thorin Oakenshield and,” he paused, “his new friend.” The way he spat out the last word sent a chill up Bilbo’s spine. The brothers locked eyes, silently communicating their escape plan. 

Azog spoke again, “You tell Oakenshield that I’m done playing games. Have him meet me tomorrow on the outskirts of town. We will finish this cat and mouse chase once and for all,” his voice bellowed throughout the store. He turned to leave, glass crunching under his feet with every step. Once he cleared the window, he stopped and turned back around, “And let me leave you all with a parting gift.”

He pulled something out of his jacket pocket. Bilbo and the others couldn’t see what it was. They just heard the sound of rustling and then the sound of something hitting the floor. Azog walked away in silence and fired up his motorcycle.

Fili and Kili stood up slowly to see what Azog threw into the room. Bilbo and Nimthîriel stayed crouched down, and looked at each other for reassurance. She mouthed a “you ok?” to him and he nodded in response. He pointed at her as he silently asked the same question, to which she affirmed. Suddenly, smoke started to fill the room. Fili and Kili reacted quickly.

“It’s a smoke bomb! Go!” Fili shouted as they both hurriedly guided the other two out the back door.

“Cover your mouth! Quickly!” Kili called behind him as he led the small group out of the employee door and out into the fresh air. Once outside, they all coughed the smoke out of their lunges and took a moment to breathe in the outside air. Fili checked to make sure everyone else was ok, not satisfied until he received a form of acknowledgement from the other three.

They went around towards the front of the building to check if Azog was still around. He was nowhere to be found, but Fili and Kili knew he wasn’t far away. It was then that Bilbo noticed his car.

“That bastard slashed my tires,” Bilbo was breathing heavily, but had enough energy to be angry. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. “So, what do we do now?” he asked once he caught his breath.

“We need to get to Thorin,” Fili answered, still on his guard.

“We should split up,” Kili suggested, “Who knows where that piece of trash is lurking,” he shared his uncle’s fiery passion.

Fili agreed, “Kili, you take Bilbo and take the direct route. We will go the opposite way and try to distract him,” he turned to Bilbo’s friend, “I’m sorry to get you involved in this.”

Bilbo looked at his friend, “Nimthîriel, you’ll be ok. Fili will keep you safe,” he placed his hand on her arm gently in reassurance.

He smiled at him with a strength that Bilbo did not expect from the quiet bookstore clerk. “He already has,” she gave Fili a quick glance before turning back to Bilbo, “But if we’re the distraction, give me your coat.”

Bilbo looked confused, “My coat?”

Kili chimed in, “I get it. So they think you’re Bilbo! Very clever!” He pat her on the back in a friendly manor. He turned to Bilbo, “Hurry up, we shouldn’t linger here.” He then pulled out his phone and sent a short message to Thorin. Bilbo guessed it was a code word for if something like this were to happen.

Bilbo quickly took off his jacket and handed it to Nimthîriel. She slid it on and tucked her hair underneath it. Luckily they were both about the same size and have almost the same color hair. From a distance, she could easily be mistaken for him. 

“How do I look?” she asked in attempt to lighten the mood.

Bilbo just smiled before pulling her into a tight hug. “Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

She smiled and hugged him back, “It’ll be ok Bilbo,” she assured him as they pulled apart.

“Ready?” Fili asked her. He and Kili shared a look that said it was time to go and they started towards their motorcycles.

“Yeah,” she nodded and followed him.

Bilbo followed behind Kili to his bike. The two brothers had matching bikes. Both were black with silver detailing, very similar in style to Thorin’s bike. They jumped on to their bikes, and their companions hopped up onto the passenger seats. At the same time, both motorcycles roared to life. They nodded to each other before taking off in opposite directions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be much different, but I decided this sausage fest needed a strong female character so the bookstore clerk is back! And also Fili needed some love because he did not get enough in the movies.  
> Hope you enjoyed and thank you all for reading!! :)


	7. The Final Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language warning for this chapter, heads up!

Kili and Bilbo rode directly to the Prancing Pony without any incident. When they arrived, Thorin and Bofur were standing at the front entrance waiting for them. Kili pulled his motorcycle up right next to where his uncle was standing and shut it off. Bilbo barely was on his feet before Thorin pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Are you alright?” he whispered into his ear as he tightened his hug.

“I’m fine,” he replied softly as he wrapped his arms around Thorin and buried his head in his strong chest.

 

With his arms still around Bilbo, Thorin looked to his nephew, “Where is your brother?”

“He and Bilbo’s friend went in the other direction as a distraction. I haven’t heard from him yet,” he had a sense of alarm in his voice.

“Go inside, tell Dwalin what happened, and get some rest. We’ll keep watch for Fili,” he reached an arm over and placed his hand tenderly on his nephew’s shoulder, “You both did good today,” he added with a faint smile. He truly was proud of Fili and Kili’s bravery today. Kili nodded and went inside.

“You feel cold,” Thorin turned his attention back to Bilbo. He finally let him go so he could take off his leather jacket and drape it over the smaller man’s shoulders. 

“Thank you.”

“Let’s get you inside,” he turned to Bofur, “Stay here and keep watch.”

The other man bowed his head in reply and turned to face the landscape. Inside, Thorin led Bilbo to the room that he shared with his nephews. Kili was already laying down in one of the beds, exhausted from the events of the day. The biker guided Bilbo to the other bed.

“You’ve had a hard day, lay down,” Thorin told him in a comforting voice.

Bilbo did has he was told, the biker’s leather jacket still wrapped around him. He didn’t even notice until his head hit the pillow how tired he actually was. But he didn’t want to drift off to sleep just yet. He pulled Thorin’s jacket tighter against him, cherishing the warmth that came from it.

“Thorin…” he whispered.

“What is it?” he answered back softly as he sat down next to Bilbo’s waist.

“Promise me one thing,” he paused, “Promise me that you’ll come back from this, that you’ll come back to me.”

Thorin smiled, “I have no plans to lose, nor to leave you.” He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Bilbo’s forehead. “Now get some sleep, you’ll need your strength.”

“What about you?”

“I need to speak with the others, but I’ll be back.” With that, Thorin rose and went out the door. Bilbo fought off sleep until he returned, which luckily didn’t take too long. Without a word, he taller man lay down on his back next to him and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. Bilbo leaned into his touch and rest his head against Thorin’s chest. The sound of his heart beating lulled him to sleep within minutes.

While they slept, the sound of a single motorcycle broke the stillness of the air. Fili and Nimthîriel had finally returned. Bofur greeted them at the door and quickly ushered them inside. They quietly entered the room that he shared with his family. Bilbo remained asleep; however Thorin and Kili were more accustomed to waking up at the slightest noise.

“Brother!” Kili jumped up and ran over to hug his older brother, happy to see him safe. 

“Fili,” Thorin breathed a sigh of relief,” What took you so long?” he remained still, careful not to wake up the sleeping man, but smiled widely at his nephew. He hid it well, but he always worried for Fili and Kili.

“Nimthîriel’s trick with Bilbo’s jacket worked. One of Azog’s goonies followed us, so we had to shake him and lay low for awhile,” Fili answered.  
“I’ll take the next watch, you two get some sleep,” Kili told his brother. He glanced over to Thorin and left the room to relieve Bofur of his watch duty.

“Thank you for what you did,” Thorin told Fili and Nimthîriel. “And I’m sorry to have gotten you involved in this,” he spoke directly to her.  
She smiled softly, “Bilbo is one of my best friends. He would have done the same for me.” Thorin smiled brightly at her, fully understanding what she meant.

Fili spoke up, “And sorry you have to stay here tonight, but you’ll be safest here. You take the bed; I’ll take the chair over here.”

“I’ve had worse nights. And you’ve saved my life twice today, I think I can trust sharing a bed with you,” she winked at the blonde biker, trying to lighten the mood. Fili grinned at her as they both climbed into the bed that Kili vacated. Silence filled the room as they slept.

A few hours later, Thorin rose. The sun had not risen yet, so the room was still dark. He was careful not to disturb Bilbo as he slept. He turned to watch him for a few moments, carefully studying every detail of his face. He reached out and gently brushed a lock of his wavy light-brown hair off his face, feeling the warmth of his skin under his fingers. Thorin leaned down and placed a light kiss on the sleeping man’s lips and made a silent vow that this would not be their last kiss. He left his jacket wrapped around Bilbo as he picked up his keys and left the room.

Outside, he met up with Dwalin and the two took off on their motorcycles in silence. They made a secret plan to meet Azog before the others woke up. The sun was just starting to rise as they rode to the meeting point at an abandoned lot at the other edge of town. When they pulled up, the tall, scarred man was already there waiting for them. They quickly dismounted and drew their swords.

“This ends now, you piece of shit!” Thorin growled as he made his way toward him. “I’m taking back what you took from me and my people.”

A dark smile draped across Azog’s face, “It would be my pleasure to slit your throat open Oakenshield.” He drew his large, black sword.

“Not if I slice yours first,” a darkness came over Thorin’s face as he charged at the man dressed in white. Their swords clanged several times as they took swings at each other. Dwalin said nothing, but stood with his hand clutching the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it should he be needed. It was Thorin’s original plan to go alone, but he insisted he go with him in case Azog decided to play dirty. So far, however, the two men were evenly matched. They continued their battle as the sun came up.

The sun was rising higher, illuminating the rooms back at the Prancing Pony. Bilbo scrunched his face as the light hit his eyes. He reached for where Thorin lay the night before, only to find an empty space. As he realized that he was gone, Bilbo jolted awake.

“Thorin?!” panic laced his voice, which was louder than he had meant it to be.

That started Fili and Nimthîriel awake. “Bilbo? What’s wrong?” she asked her friend.

He looked at them with fear in his eyes, “Thorin,” he repeated his name more quietly, “He’s gone.”

Dread began to fill Fili’s eyes as well as he put together what his uncle had done, “We went to face Azog.” The three shared a glance as they silently knew what they wanted to do next. “I’ll wake everyone, we need to go to him now,” he jumped up and started for the door before turning back to Bilbo, “Go get Blain and ride with him.”

Bilbo nodded and the remaining two got up and hurriedly followed Fili out the door. Bilbo knew that Thorin was strong and more than capable of handling himself, but he couldn’t help but worry for him. He kept his leather jacket on and pulled it tightly against him as he went to Balin.

Back at the abandoned lot, Thorin and Azog’s battle waged on. Neither was able to fully injure the other. A cut here, a slice there was all the damage they were able to deal. 

“First,” Azog snarled, “I’ll kill you.” Their swords met with a clang. “Then, your little brat nephews.” They locked their weapons and stared each other down face to face. “Then your little friend.” His cruel smile and the way he took delight in tormenting Thorin like this could have made the devil himself nervous.

His words sent a wave of anger through Thorin’s entire body, “Like hell you will!” He roared back as he swung violently at the other man. The tide of their fight turned as the biker attacked his opponent viciously. Azog had turned on the defense for now. “You’re not getting anywhere near my family ever again!” The passion behind his words motivated his sword. “And I’ll make you pay for attacking them!”

Azog grinned darkly, that could send chills up any person’s spine. He seemed to take joy in Thorin’s emotions. He then pulled out a second, smaller blade and turned the battle in his favor. The biker was forced to go on the defense. Dwalin watched nervously, but did not move. He was under strict orders not to intervene unless Thorin called for him. As much as he wanted to help, he knew how much this meant to his leader and respected his wish for this to be a one-on-one battle. 

The battle raged on. Neither man backed down or showed any sign of yielding. However tired they both got, they did not waver. Thorin was starting to realize that he would lose this if he did not do something drastic. Azog clearly had the upper hand with two weapons. He changed his focus to knock the second smaller sword out of his hand. He charged forward and ducked under the swing of his sword, slicing his other hand clean off as he did so.

Azog screamed in pain, and Thorin smiled at this turn of events. However, the adrenaline pumping through his veins kept him going. They continued to swing their swords at each other until they locked with each other in a stalemate. The fire in both of their eyes could have caused a raging blaze. An evil smile was still painted on Azog’s face as they locked gazes as well. Thorin had only seconds to make his next move. He knew he had to end it right now, or else he would lose. He looked down at his hand, and then back up at his opponent.

It was at that moment that the rest of the group arrived. They quickly ran up next to Dwalin and joined him on his perch. Bilbo flew off of Balin’s bike before he had even stopped completely and ran to the front of the group. He held his breath nervously as he saw Thorin and Azog with their swords locked.

“Good, they’ve all come to see you die,” Azog snarled.

“No,” Thorin took in a deep breath, “they came to watch YOU die,” he shifted his weight towards his opponent suddenly so that he could knock Azog’s sword out of his remaining hand. The movement caught Azog completely off guard. Thorin took a step forward and thrust his sword right through Azog’s chest. “Go to hell you piece of shit,” Thorin spat as he twisted his sword. He pushed his weight into the man in white in order to knock him off his feet.

Azog fell back and landed on the ground with a hard thud. Thorin took in a deep breath as he looked over his body with satisfaction. He watched as the last breath left his opponent’s body. The biker reached his hand to pull his sword out of Azog’s limp body and turned his back to walk towards his group as he sheathed it. His eyes caught with Bilbo’s and he smiled. The hardness in his heart melted away at seeing his precious Bilbo’s face again. Seeing Thorin’s smile, Bilbo finally relaxed and smiled back at him.

Meanwhile on the ground, Azog slowly opened his eyes. He reached into his pocket with every ounce of strength he could muster. He knew he would not walk away from this, but he was determined not to go alone. As he watched Thorin walk away from him, he pulled out a small gun from his pocket and fired it once before finally collapsing for good.

Pain suddenly filled Thorin’s body as the bullet hit him in his low back. His face dropped and all the color faded from his skin. He looked down to see blood gushing out from his midsection. Before he fell down to the ground, he looked back up at Bilbo one last time. The biker landed on his knees first, and then fell over onto his side. He lay motionless, barely breathing, while his blood pooled beside his body.

All the blood drained from Bilbo’s face as he watched, “THORIN!!” he screamed as he ran towards him. The others followed closely behind him. He was the first to reach the biker, and immediately took his jacket to stop his wound from bleeding out. “No! No! No! Thorin!” he shouted with tears in his eyes.

“Bilbo,” Thorin whispered as he coughed up blood, “I’m glad you’re here.” His breath hitched in his throat as breathing became harder. “I’m glad… You’re safe.” He took Bilbo’s hand.

“Thorin?!” Bilbo held his hand tightly, not caring about the blood all over him. “No, you can’t leave me,” he coked out between sobs, “You promised.” The rest of the company stood silently behind him. Dwalin stopped to make sure that Azog was dead before joining them. 

Thorin’s breathing became more ragged, “it’s over,” his voice was almost inaudible. Fili and Kili stood directly behind Bilbo, also fighting back tears for their uncle; behind them stood Balin and Nimthîriel. The rest of the group stood in stunned silence as Bilbo held Thorin’s body tightly and sobbed.

“THORIN!!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm, should I follow the original canon and kill Thorin or be nice and let him live..... Decisions decisions.....  
> I actually meant to post this yesterday, but after re-writing that fight scene three times I'm finally happy with it.  
> Again, thank you all for your support and comments and love with this piece!! I really appreciate it all!! :)


	8. A New Beginning

Silence filled the hospital room save for the constant beep of the heart monitor. A week had passed since Bilbo and the others rushed Thorin to the hospital to treat his wound, and his condition still had not changed. Doctors were able to successfully remove the bullet and stop the bleeding, but his body was too weak and he was in a coma. In that time, Bilbo rarely left his bedside. The rest of the group took turns to sit in the room with him and make sure he took the time to take care of himself as well. Without them, Bilbo would have gone days without eating. He was too worried that he would miss something if he left Thorin’s side for too long.

During the times when they left him alone with Thorin, he read out loud to him. Bilbo started with the Sherlock Holmes books, the book he was holding during their first encounter at the park. He then picked a few of his favorite books, some the classics. Once he got through those, he picked up the rare book that Thorin left for him at the bookstore. Tears came to Bilbo’s eyes as he read that book. The way the author described the beautiful landscapes, the intricate characters, and the rich history of a mythical land filled his heart with wonder. He could see why this book was special to Thorin because it quickly climbed to the top of his list of favorite books.

Meanwhile, Dwalin took the initiative to make sure that Azog’s body was taken care of. He also took a few members of the group to drive out his accomplices and send word back to Erebor that Azog was dead. As much as he wanted to stay at the hospital to keep watch on Thorin, he knew that he had the responsibility to take care of everything. Besides, his leader was in good hands with Bilbo by his side. He had his doubts about the bookworm at first, but in seeing how he has yet to leave Thorin’s side in the hospital, he could see how much he cared about the leader. He knew from experience that someone with that much heart is someone worthy of respect.

On one sunny afternoon, Bilbo was again alone in Thorin’s hospital room. He drifted off to sleep after being up for most of the night. He wasn’t sleeping well during this time. Every time he fell asleep, he had horrible nightmares that Thorin never woke up from him coma. The panic kept him up most of the night. It was only when he was completely exhausted that he could finally sleep for a little while. The beep of the heart monitor used to make him anxious, but it became comforting to Bilbo because it meant that Thorin was still alive.

A little twitch of Thorin’s finger was the first movement he had in a week. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He had to blink a few times to adjust to the brightness of the white hospital room. Once he was acclimated to his setting, he tried to remember what happened and figure out where he was currently. The last thing the biker could remember was shooting pain in his midsection, blood everywhere, and Bilbo screaming his name. Thorin suddenly became more alert when he thought about Bilbo. He tried to sit up, but he still lacked the strength. 

He let out a sigh of frustration and decided to stay still. Moving would come to him when he body was ready for it. From his hospital bed, he looked around the room. His eyes settled on the sleeping brunette in the chair by the window. Thorin smiled when he saw him there. He watched Bilbo sleep for a few moments as he studied his face. That chair couldn’t have been comfortable, so for Bilbo to be able to sleep soundly in it told Thorin that he had been up for awhile. In the back of his mind, he wondered how much time had passed since his battle with Azog.

As he gazed at the sleeping man, he got a mental image of beautiful landscapes and majestic creatures. That was when he noticed the book that he had gotten for him at a gift on the little table next to him. Thorin made the connection that he must have read it to him while he was unconscious. That thought warmed his heart and brightened his face. That book was very special to him; it was an old classic from his hometown. 

“Bilbo,” he whispered. Thorin wanted to reach over to him and hold him close, but he couldn’t muster the strength to move more than his hand. He shuffled himself around in his hospital bed as he tried to sit up, all the while reaching over for Bilbo, as if he were willing the chair to scoot over to him.

The movement caused Bilbo to stir. He blinked a couple times to focus his eyes before he realized what he was looking at. “Thorin!” he exclaimed as he leapt up from the chair he was sleeping in and shot over to Thorin’s bedside in one swift movement. He took the biker’s outreached hand and held on tightly.

Thorin held Bilbo’s hand as tight as he could, “Bilbo,” repeated his name, “I’m glad you’re here.”

Tears welled up in Bilbo’s eyes, “I was so worried, Thorin. You really scared me.” He wiped his eyes, not wanting to let his tears fall, then added, “Don’t you ever do that again!” 

The biker smiled, “I promise.” He brushed his thumb lovingly over the smaller man’s hand as he held it.

Bilbo gazed into Thorin’s eyes, happy to finally see them open again. He leaned over and placed a tender kiss on his lips. He reached his other hand to caress the taller man’s face and ran his fingers through his beard, which grew scruffier in the week he was unconscious. “We need to get his mess cleaned up,” he teased with a smile. Thorin replied with a smile as he leaned his head into Bilbo’s hand.

After several weeks at the hospital, Thorin was finally able to leave. However, he was under strict orders not to travel long distance for awhile. Bilbo insisted that he stayed with him while he finished his recovery. Most of the group had already left for Erebor after visiting their leader in the hospital. Thorin put Dwalin in charge of beginning the rebuilding of their hometown, and he contacted Gandalf to meet him there to help out. The biker group left town in waves of two or three each. By the time he was discharged from the hospital, only Balin, Fili and Kili remained, and Bilbo’s invitation for Thorin extended to them as well.

The 5 men, joined by Nimthîriel, spent their days together at Bilbo’s house. They each took turns cooking for everyone and taking care of Thorin, who as recovering quicker than the doctors anticipated. When they weren’t on “Thorin duty,” they took turns at the bookshop to repair the damage Azog caused. They spent the evenings watching old movies and playing board games. Even though Bilbo and Nimthîriel had only spent a short amount of time with the bikers, when they were all together, they acted like a group of old friends that had known each other since childhood.  
Thorin couldn’t remember the last time when his life was this peaceful. He looked over at Bilbo and watched him concentrate so hard on the board game. A warm smile graced his face as he thought about their time together and how much he cherished the brunette in front of him. He began to wonder if he thought about the question he asked the day they went on a motorcycle ride. He knew a lot happened since then, but his feelings remained the same, if not stronger. 

As the sun set they finished their game of Clue, which Kili won. As the rest of the group cleaned up the living room, Bilbo took Thorin into his bedroom to lay him down. The smaller man was very attentive to Thorin as he healed. He changed his bandage like clockwork, made sure his wound was always clean, and fed him healthy meals to help his recovery. The biker never had someone take care of him like this before. He would never admit it out loud, but he found it nice to be taken care of like this, especially with all the heart that Bilbo had when he did so.  
Bilbo helped Thorin into bed. The taller man had much more strength now then had had weeks ago, but he still needed help laying down and getting up. It was the brunette’s idea for them to share his bed, since he didn’t have that much space at his house and so he could be there for Thorin in case something happened in the middle of the night.

“Hey Bilbo,” Thorin started as he settled into bed.

“What is it?” he replied as he got under the covers and made himself comfortable next to the biker.

“Have you thought about what I asked you under the oak tree that day?” he asked.

Bilbo turned over to face Thorin, “Yeah I have actually.”

Thorin locked eyes with him, “And…?”

“Yes, I will go back to Erebor with you,” he smiled at the other man.

Thorin smiled back at him widely and pulled him into an embrace, “I’m so happy, Bilbo.”

The brunette carefully wrapped his arms around Thorin and rested his head on his shoulder. The two men lay together in silence for a few minutes. Bilbo could hear Thorin’s heartbeat and smiled, happy that it was still beating.

The biker broke the silence, “Are you sure you’re ok to move all the way out to Erebor with me? I am asking you to leave your whole life here behind.”

Bilbo looked up at him, “It’s not like I have much here. Besides, seeing you in that hospital bed made me realize how much I care about you.” He took in a deep breath, “I don’t want to be without you Thorin.”

Thorin smiled and kissed his forehead lovingly.

“Besides,” Bilbo added, “You need me around to take care of you now,” he smirked at him.

Thorin laughed, “Very true.” He pulled the smaller man up to meet their lips in a passionate kiss. He cupped Bilbo’s face with one hand while the other arm wrapped around his waist. When they pulled apart for air, they looked each other in the eye and giggled. Neither man could believe they were here like this, happy and comfortable together. The two men shared one last kiss before falling asleep tangled in each other’s arms. 

Bilbo spent the next few days packing. Instead of selling his house, he decided to have his sister and her new baby move in. They currently lived in a small apartment, and she needed the space his home provided. Plus, he grew up in this house and he wanted to keep it in the family after he moved out. He found a small moving pod to rent that could attach to his car to move his belongings, as well as Thorin’s motorcycle. Bilbo insisted that he not drive his bike yet and that he would drive them in his car to Erebor. The plan was for Balin to lead the way and Thorin’s nephews would ride behind the car. Thorin insisted that he knew the way home, but the other three had enough experience with his navigational skills to not trust his word.

On the last night before the group was to leave, they threw themselves a small going-away party. Bilbo invited his sister and her baby Frodo, and Nimthîriel came over as well. They built a small fire pit in the backyard and sat around it eating pizza and drinking beers. Bilbo enjoyed his time with Thorin and the rest of the group because he felt like a family with them. He was looking forward to what the future brought for them. However he knew he would miss his sister and his friend immensely.

When Fili got up to get another beer, Bilbo scooted himself over so that he sat next to his friend. “Hey Nimthîriel,” he started.

“Hey Bilbo!” she tapped their beers together in a cheer, “You ready for you big move tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” he replied with a smile, “I will miss you though.” His face dropped a little.

She put her hand on his shoulder, “Don’t be too down about it,” she smiled cheerfully at him, “I have the feeling our little dynamic duo will be reunited soon.” She motioned towards Fili and winked.

“Really?” he sounded surprised. He had been too engrossed with taking care of Thorin to even notice anything else that went on around him.  
“Maybe we may even be related one day,” she added with a wide smile. He had never seen her so happy, and he understood the feeling.  
Bilbo smiled at her and gave her a hug. He got up to let Fili have his seat back and went to sit back with Thorin. The biker immediately put his arm around him and he leaned into his embrace.

“Everything ok?” Thorin asked.

Bilbo nodded, “Yeah,” he looked up at him with a wide smile, “Everything’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's the end of this journey! Thank you all so much for reading, commenting and leaving love on this piece! I appreciate every single one of you!! And I know, that was mean of me to leave that cliffanger on the last chapter...especially since it was always my plan to let Thorin live!  
> And if anyone wants to venture a guess as to what Thorin's book is, feel free to take a shot at it. I did have one specific book in mind when writing this ;)

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a mental image I had of Thorin in a leather jacket and cute little nerdy bookworm Bilbo. I threw in a couple Sherlock references just for laughs. And I know I wrote them riding without helmets, but what I pictured in my head wouldn’t work if they had them. But don’t follow that example, always wear a helmet ;)
> 
> As of now, I'm not sure how long its will be, but hopefully I'll get an idea by chapter 3 or so.


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